“During the next Digital Decade, technology will make our lives richer, more connected, more productive and more fulfilling in profound and exciting ways.”

- Still hasn't updated his speech since the start of the last digital decade then.

"Of course, Microsoft has been part-way there for years, with users well used to making hand (and even foot) gestures at kit running Microsoft software. It’s just that to date, the software has failed to respond appropriately."

- I actually knew of a machine with a dodgy power unit that actually rebooted when you, erm booted it :)

“(everyday computing) will be far more pervasive... multiple people sitting in front of a photo collection working together. It will be on the refrigerator. Just far easier to get to.”

- Still having trouble selling internet enabled fridges Bill? Obviously you don't know where my fridge is, and surely looking at a photo collection is far easier when sitting in the living room in front of the HD screen running Freevo than it could ever be on the blocking entry to the fridge, which contains food? not my ideal location for a slide show... Keep the internet out of my fridge Bill, this is your last warning!

Internet Fridges are almost like a running joke now, it seems tech gurus have been warbling about them for well over ten years. I suspect dear old Bill will realise, on his deathbed, that nobody wants to view photos / do shopping on their fridge. In the meantime, at least he still provides entertainment.

“I'll be diving into global health, which is almost like the early days of PCs (in) the way you build partnerships.”

?????

"Steve and the rest of the gang and wondering what great things they’re all developing."

I take it you're taking about Steve Jobs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/entertainment_enl_1199706673/img/1.jpg

What's that quaint word that the kids use when they've just been well and truly stuffed by someone on the ol' 'puter? Oh yeah...pwned!

And in other news, was I the only one excited by the BBC headline 'Gates joins Dancing on Ice stars' until realising it was the Pop Idol singer, Gareth, rather than the world's richest geek?

want my fridge to order beer for me. In any case, any such fridge will likely be hacked, and given the content of my spam-box, it will start ordering dubious blue pills or even American mortgages for me (and WHY OH WHY would I want any one of those).

<rant>

Whenever I am told my home-stereo will "think for me" and play the right kind of music (i.e. the music "we know you want") I am reminded of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation's GPP feature (of the self-satisfied doors and manically depressive robot; we all miss you Douglas). Coming home in a foul mood and having soothing music being played at me would quite probably have me giving my stereo a reprogramming it would never forget (yes, with an axe). Why do these "ubiquitous computing" people not realize that MANY PEOPLE QUITE LIKE THINKING FOR THEMSELVES.

</rant>

<hat/>

<coat/>

Outahere

Gates talking about how great multitouch software is going to be when Apple has a product using this technology already in the market.

Typical Microsoft, miss the boat and then hype up the technology.

Gates made a similar gaff when talking about the future of games technology, saying how future consoles would have new control mechanisms and how you would be able to wave the remote around. When told the Wii did this already he denied that was what he was talking about.

Bill needs to get out more, experience what is out there instead of sitting in his Microsoft dream world.

How much of his work in third words countries is involved with 'persuading' governments not to use Linux?

We all know he's as objective as a fatty-boom-boom on a see-saw.

think bill has finally jumped the shark. his vision of the future is a serious indication of the extent to which he is completely out of touch. and "monkey boy" balmer is left holding the reins - is this really what passes for a blue chip tech co these days? really?

'Gates joins Dancing on Ice stars'

Yeah, that got me too. The disappointment!

Billwg may say he is going to focus on his pet tax shelter but he still has his other monopoly in image reproduction to be called Corbis.

Corbis manages reproduction rights for entire collections effectively giving them a monopoly of pieces in that collection.

OK, so Bill plyed a pioneering role in the development of home and business computers for the last 30-odd years, Then he set up a charitable foundation, which is the biggest in the world.

What's there to bitch about, you ungrateful short-sighted morons? What have YOU done lately?

Volume and speed are but poor substitutes for a RealLife.

Having your fridge ordering groceries for you (no doubt the fridge company taking a cut for every Brand X sold) and your intelligent TV deciding what you want to watch (kickbacks) and Wikipedia etc deciding what you should know is making people more like worker ants than thinking beings.

The richness of human experience comes from diversity and individual thought and action - things that don't come via the internet.

I'm no Luddite. I use the internet etc as a tool and for some entertainment but I don't want it to take over my life.

Well, I for one would be happy to let my internet fridge order beer, especially if it was paid by a direct debit from Jeremy Clarkson's account.

Because he made his cash by illegally squeezing out legitimate competition, and pushing substandard software and services on a public which had little choice, due his illegal monopolistic practises.

Stuart

Gestures, huh? I have a gesture I can use with a Windows box.

I can see why Gates wants to 'dive' into health, given the humongous profits in that sector and his "I don't care if they die as long as they buy my products" stance it'll indeed be a bit like him diving a la Dagobert Duck into a huge pile of money.

The irony is that he will be immediately faced with the need for a Home, a Pro and a "Bill" version because he is getting older, and I can't imagine him losing that self serving gene that has helped him so well (and scrwed us so badly) over the years.